3 syllables: Mac, in, tosh. Stress on Mac.
MAK-uhn-tawsh
/ˈmækəˌntɔʃ/
Macintosh is pronounced MAK-uhn-tawsh (/ˈmækəˌntɔʃ/). It has three syllables (Mac-in-tosh), with the stress on "Mac". Macintosh is a proper noun used chiefly to refer to the Apple computer brand, originally derived from a Scottish surname. In tech contexts it denotes Apple’s line of personal computers and related products; in colloquial use it may briefly refer to a Macintosh computer. The term is widely recognized in computing discourse and media, carrying branding and cultural associations beyond a generic surname.
nounMacintosh is a proper noun used chiefly to refer to the Apple computer brand, originally derived from a Scottish surname. In tech contexts it denotes Apple’s line of personal computers and related products; in colloquial use it may briefly refer to a Macintosh computer. The term is widely recognized in computing discourse and media, carrying branding and cultural associations beyond a generic surname.
How to Pronounce Macintosh
"I just bought a Macintosh and installed the latest macOS update."
"The Macintosh is known for its user-friendly interface and design aesthetics."
"During the keynote, they announced new Macintosh models with upgraded processors."
Macintosh is pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/. The sequence 'Mac-' rhymes with 'pack', the second syllable reduces to a short 'tin' sound /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/ with the final 'osh' as /ɒʃ/ (British /ɒ/ can be closer to US /ɑ/). In careful speech you say ‘MACK-tin-osh,’ with a light pause between the second and third phonemes. You’ll hear the American and British pronunciations unified as /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/ in most contexts, and online you can reference audio examples by searching ‘Macintosh pronunciation.’
Common errors: 1) Skipping the mid syllable consonant cluster and saying /ˈmækˈtɪnɒʃ/ without the /t/ linkage. Correction: maintain the clear /t/ onset of the second syllable. 2) Treating the final ‘intosh’ as /ɪntʃ/ instead of /ɒʃ/. Correction: end with a rounded back vowel /ɒ/ followed by /ʃ/. 3) Misplacing stress, saying /ˌmæˈkɪtˌnɒʃ/ with uneven emphasis. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable and secondary stress on the second: /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/.
In US and UK English you typically pronounce /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/. The main difference is vowel quality: US /æ/ as in ‘cat’ vs UK /æ/ but with slightly different rhoticity; both are non-rhotic in many contexts for the final syllable, though Macintosh is not word-finally rhotic. Australian English generally preserves /æ/ with a slightly broader /ɒ/ in the final vowel and a smoother transition into /ʃ/, still /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/. All three retain the stress pattern but with subtle intonation differences in phrasing and speed.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable sequence followed by the final /ʃ/ sound, plus the quick /t/-link between syllables which can blur in rapid speech. The middle /tɪ/ with a short vowel can be easy to swallow, making /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/ sound like /ˈmæktɪnɒʃ/ if you don’t delineate the consonant boundary. Also, the final /ɒʃ/ may vary toward /ɔːʃ/ in some accents. Practice by isolating every sound, then chaining them deliberately to retain clarity.
Macintosh historically has a 't' connection between the /k/ and /t/ in the sequencing of /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/. A unique point is the possibility of the middle syllable reducing in rapid speech to a syllabic /n/ or a near-syllable without a fully released /t/. In careful speech you maintain /t/ clearly, but you may hear some speakers lightly assimilate to /ˈmækˌtnɒʃ/ in casual contexts.
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US: rhoticity is present but the word ends with /ʃ/, mouth rounding on /ɒ/ is moderate; UK: more precise /ɒ/ with more backness; AU: broader vowel quality and non- rhotic tendencies may alter vowel length. IPA references: /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/ for all, with minor vowel shifts. Maintain frontness in /æ/ and the mid vowel /ɪ/ without reducing to /i/. Use careful lip rounding for /ɒ/ before /ʃ/.
Macintosh derives from a Scottish surname, itself a Gaelic-derived form from the surname Mac an Toisich, meaning ‘son of the chief’ or ‘son of the leader.’ In the 1980s, Apple Computer adopted Macintosh as the branding for its line of personal computers, drawing on the Scottish heritage hint to evoke reliability and elegance. The name was popularized by the release of the original Macintosh in 1984, which introduced a graphical user interface and a distinct, consumer-friendly identity. Over time, Macintosh became shorthand for Apple’s family of computers, with the brand reinforcing its place in mainstream computing culture. The pronunciation settled into /ˈmækˌtɪnɒʃ/ in many varieties of English, though some speakers may assimilate to /ˌmækˈtaɪnɒʃ/ in rapid or informal speech, reflecting variations in syllable stress and vowel quality across dialects.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Macintosh" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Macintosh"
-tch sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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